DRIVER inattention has been identified as a contributing factor in one in every five car crashes.

The Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety (Queensland) says distraction has been identified in 22 per cent of car crashes and near crashes and 71 per cent of truck crashes.

Police Minister Jack Dempsey and Commissioner Ian Stewart will today announce a new "fatal five" to replace the fatal four message launched more than a decade ago.

It comes after police issued more than 96,000 fines to distracted drivers in the past three years more than 90,000 to drivers on mobile phones. Five hundred motorists were caught with a person or animal on their lap and four people were fined for walking their dog through the window of their car.

Motorists shaving behind the wheel, making and eating breakfast and applying make-up are among the other cases of distracted driving that have shocked police.

"People using their mobile phones is one (distracted behaviour) and that's probably our biggest cause for concern," Mr Stewart said.

"That's a phenomenon that has only really raised its head over the last few years as people's use of mobile phones and particularly social media and texting, has become common place.

"Unfortunately, people still do it while they're driving their cars and it is truly dangerous behaviour.

"We also see examples of people putting make-up on, people having a shave in the morning. "It boggles the mind what these people must be thinking."

Mr Stewart said eating while driving could be enough to distract a driver and lead to a fatal car accident.

"Eating their breakfast in the car, having their hamburger on the run. Is that few minutes you're going to save worth your life or the life of an innocent party? Clearly it's not."

Motorists can be fined $330 and lose three points on their licence for illegally using mobile phones or $256 if they don't have proper control of the vehicle. Distracted drivers can potentially be charged with careless driving of a motor vehicle, with a maximum penalty up to $4400 or six months' jail.

It is at the discretion of police if drivers are distracted using devices (other than mobile phones) or by eating and drinking.

An RACQ survey released this year found 88 per cent of members believed driver distraction was a bigger problem than it was five years ago.

Drivers said they were distracted by adjusting their stereos 3.75 times per month on average (57.4 per cent said it was a distraction), eating and drinking 2.37 times (53.1 per cent) and by their hands-free mobile phones 2.32 times per month (31.8 per cent).

RACQ executive manager of technical and safety policy Steve Spalding said drivers were dangerously multi-tasking on the road.

"It can be a phone call, a text, it can be kiddies playing or screaming in the back seat, it could be taking your mind off the road to change a CD," he said.

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